18 for light lunch

[eighteenforalightlunch]

I’m hosting 18 adults , including meat eaters , vegetarian and dairy free at short notice on Saturday. It’s a light lunch, they’ll all have had a hotel breakfast . Friends of friends so don’t necessarily need to impress but would like to look as though I’ve made a bit of an effort, but not spend too much. Ive come up with jacket pots and a variety of toppings, or cheese, crackers and salami etc or bought nice pizzas. A home made cake/ flapjacks? I’d be grateful if you had any more imaginative ideas.

I’d also suggest frittatas (you can make day before) if you want to look like you have made more effort plus salads. They are cheap, easy and you can cater for different dietary requirements that way.

I’d also opt for bread rather than crackers with the cheese you mentioned plus pates (including mushroom based for the non dairy vegetarians) and pickles. The bread apart from being more filling, can be warmed up in the oven and smell should settle people.

Home made cake is always going to be a winner.

Honestly, for 18 adults I wouldn’t stress it. I doubt Nigella would do much more than the above in a domestic kitchen.

This is a wonderful suggestion, thank you so much. I avoid quiche as I don’t think my pastry skills are good but frittata is a great idea, I’m now questioning why I’ve never thought of it for large groups . Bread and pate good ideas too, I’m so glad I posted , thank you!

A big pot of potato and leek soup. Crusty bread and butter.

I had also thought of soup , so that’s a good call. I just don’t feel comfortable with only one option to cater for different tastes, so I’m then considering hob space for multiple large pans. I’ll mull it over tonight / tomorrow re budget and ease on the morning. Thanks both for suggestions.

Crusty French bread, decent butter and a large home baked ham and maybe a Brie. Houmous for veggie. Homemade cake or scones as they are filling too.

I'd do soup as well and maybe a couple of cheeses. Really simple. Baked potatoes, pizza and flapjacks sound a bit too filling if you've just stuffed your face in a hotel?

Homemade tomato soup and the leek and potato soup as suggested already.

@eighteenforalightlunch do you have a slow cooker? If so, you could use this to keep soup warm to free up hob space.

I would do a few different quiches, ham, salads, bread and cheese.

By the way OP...18 at short notice with dietary issues and not great pals!?

Slow cooker is a good call. I think the point about potatoes being too filling is something to think about too, although I think they will have been for a swim after breakfast so maybe a bit hungry. I’m leaning towards quiche or frittatas as I can’t sit everyone at one table so they work better for people to eat on a sofa etc although soup would be easier for me. I’m really glad I asked it’s been really helpful.
@Leavesfalling I was been deliberately a bit vague but it doesn’t really matter as I obviously changed my username for this one post. It’s my daughter’s in-laws and their extended family . They are all holidaying together nearby, as they live a few hours away I offered for anyone to call in for lunch before they journey home. They’re lovely people but I don’t know them very well. I’m looking forward to it as I love big family connections, but I should have invited a few weeks ago to be a bit more organised!

I think I'd just do a selection of filled rolls, some posh crisps and a big salad.

I would do a meat quiche and a veggie quiche - the trick is to keep chilling the pastry - so make it, chill in for a few hours, roll out and line your tin, then chill it again for a few hours before blind baking, filling and baking the quiche. I use this recipe for all my savoury pastry - here.

Then I would do cold meat, cheeses, anti pasti type things with some nice loaves of bread and crackers so everyone has a choice. Also add some bowls of hummus and falafels for any vegans. Maybe also a roasted vegetable couscous salad too...

I wouldn't do the jacket potatoes personally - unless you were doing a hot option overall and making a chilli con carne (or you could do a mixed bean one for everyone or make two different ones). Then you could have bowls of cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa etc for everyone to help themselves.

For pudding...
I would do a vegan flapjack so there was something for the dairy-free guests, then brownies. Both are easy to slice and serve - and tend to be crowd pleasers. Also, people can take one with them on their way home if they are too full.

Some mumsnetters would probably gasp as this but when I want to cater I do buffet - go to M and S and buy their pre packaged sandwiches. Cut in half and arrange on a platter. Maybe make homemade sausage rolls. Some meats and cheeses. Crisps. Maybe a Lidl fresh sourdough pizza in the oven. Some breaded M and S chicken. Always goes down well

I love a decent filled roll. That plus a pot of soup- can't go wrong. It brings out my inner Famous Five picnic love.

Ham and decent cheese / cheese and pickle / etc. I recently made vegan finger sandwiches for an event. I mixed vegan herb cream cheese with chopped olives or chopped sundried tomatos. Then with white bread. Those went down really well actually.

I'm Australian originally and you can't beat a decent Australian salad roll. Butter, ice berg lettuce, shredded carrot, beetroot or pineapple rings and maybe a slice of cheese. Perfection.

if they've had a big hotel breakfast I think jacket potatoes is probably too filling. They're also a bit "all or nothing" whereas cheese & charcuterie you can pick as much as you want more. I'd do nice bread, cheese, hummus, cold meats, pickles, olives, crisps and some crudites.

I’d do soup, something dairy free and vegetarian but still hearty, like carrot and lentil, with baguettes and nice butter. Or fillings and rolls with salad.

I would not go wild. They almost certainly will have had a cooked breakfast at like 10, so coming to yours just a couple hours later, will not want or expect a hot lunch. Even the ones who don’t love soup can just fill up on cake.

I think it’s a mistake to offer too many options. a) it makes more work for you and b) it looks a bit mishmash and disconnected.
Personally I’d get a load of French sticks, a good selection of cheeses, a meat and mushroom pate, cook and carve a gammon and chicken. Pickles, chutneys, homemade coleslaw and celery, nut, apple and sultana. A plate of sliced tomatoes with basil and red onion.

You can always buy puff pastry sheets and make very easy tarts that way